


Blood. To blood. To blood.

by EssayOfThoughts



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Department of Mysteries, Gen, Horror, Magical Theory (Harry Potter), Magizoology (Harry Potter), Unspeakables (Harry Potter), Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 15:32:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17286710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EssayOfThoughts/pseuds/EssayOfThoughts
Summary: Grandfather is propped up by several pillows. He’s old - ancient, Cassilda knows - his skin pale as an olm’s and wrinkled as a winter leaf. A mask covers the lower half of his face, pale white tubes dangling from the corners of his mouth, dripping shimmering fluid.Cassilda knows that as people grow older they lose control of their bodily functions but she hadn’t thought Grandfather was so far gone.





	Blood. To blood. To blood.

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/446237) by The Sinister Man. 



> Written for the third POS Prompt challenge. As yet no one knows who won. The prompt was to write about Adramalech Selwyn, the mysterious head of the Selwyn family, and what makes him and his family so horrifying.

“Come in, Granddaughter.”

The door - heavy, oaken, bound in iron - is swung half-open. Cassilda knows that beyond its bounds Grandfather waits.

She takes a breath. She steps across the threshold.

 

* * *

 

_ Boundaries, spaces and liminal spaces are all essential to understanding the higher levels of magical theory. One must delineate one’s working space with some more esoteric magics, or must designate a space to affect. Liminal spaces, those between, are the hardest to pin down. A liminal space is, as it says, a space, but it is also a boundary. Like the muggle concept of Schrodinger's Cat, it may be one or both or neither, depending on context. _

_ A useful case study for this phenomenon is vampires, which cannot cross clearly delineated human boundaries without invitation… and vice versa: humans require an invitation to cross theirs. Believed to be the result of a ritual of [REDACTED]... _

_ \-- #13094 Unspeakable Archives, Hidden Files. Section 6: The Wild. _

 

* * *

 

Grandfather is propped up by several pillows. He’s old - ancient, Cassilda knows - his skin pale as an olm’s and wrinkled as a winter leaf. A mask covers the lower half of his face, pale white tubes dangling from the corners of his mouth, dripping shimmering fluid.

Cassilda knows that as people grow older they lose control of their bodily functions but she hadn’t thought Grandfather was so far gone. Was that why he wanted to see her? To see his options for Heir?

“Come closer, child,” he says. “Sit. Wine?”

 

* * *

 

_ As the Ruthven Project has shown, Vampires come in several types, few of which are stable. While other creatures around the world may share vampiric traits, the specific Vampire here spoken of is  _ Homo sapiens _ infected with  _ Lemures sanguine. _ Current understanding of  _ L. sanguine _ indicates it is form of spiritually conveyed infection, which is most rapidly, effectively and reliably transmitted down bloodlines - most commonly an individual infected will infect family members, those they consider to be as close as family, or those they would make family. _

_ Vampires have a number of weaknesses - their most powerful abilities cannot be used in daylight, and even at night they must be reliably well fed with blood and allowed to rest on native soil due to the links of family. The symbolic effects of blood as life-bond and soil as home-bond can be researched further in The Esterhazy-Tepes Papers. _

_ Most vampires will eventually be weak even to moonlight but this does not reduce their infectiousness, only increasing it. _

_ Of course, the question must be asked: if a vampire only turns family, or those it sees as or would make family… who turned the first? _

_ \-- #666661 Unspeakable Archives, Hidden Files. Section 7: Immortality and Undeath. _

 

* * *

 

Cassilda listens to her grandfather. She’s always been a little discomfited by him, though she’s better than her brother about not showing it. But then, men are rarely forced to repress and hide their feelings to the same extent as witches are - as her mother once said  _ The life of a pureblood witch is to forever be on stage. _ Cassilda knows her mother was rarely wrong.

He doesn’t take many breaths. Despite the mask over his face and the tubes in his mouth he seems to have little trouble talking or breathing and Cassilda pays ardent attention to his words, all the while twisting her hands over and over in her lap.

He’s telling her secrets. Family secrets, that even Father has kept from her - or, perhaps, does not know. 

Cassilda knows that nothing good comes of being told another’s secrets.

 

* * *

 

_ There are certain creatures in the In-Between that are known to effectively parasitise other entities. Certain entities take creatures as hosts, and can be dangerous if not effectively treated with. Others have before been extracted from the Elserealms and made into something real and tangible. A most prime example would be that of the House Elves. According to those who can see into the Elserealms and the creatures native to the Space Between - Heliopaths that are themselves liminal creatures - a number of parasitic creatures can and will latch onto unwary wizards - or perhaps are drawn to those already displaying the relevant traits (see _ Chicken or Egg: To See or Not To See _ by Lobelia Croaker, Archive number #99766). _

_ Dholes are wormlike creatures that nest in a host’s stomach, slowly devouring not just food and magic but also good feeling; those possessing one become hedonists of the highest degree. Forami seek out those with holes of self-doubt in their Occlumency - specifically in Occlumens - and encourage paranoia. Rhesangs are the result of mismanaged rituals without a clear boundary - any survivors will find these creatures latched onto the basemost parts of one’s brain. Almost all individuals with Rhesangs are or will become vampires. _

_ \-- ######## #~~~##}{**** ```###++¬ _

 

* * *

 

“I understand,” Cassilda says, when grandfather has finished. They are a dying family after all. Many survive, but there are few descendants remaining. Just herself and Hyades of the generation, she had thought - though if she has read between the lines correctly there may be a suitable cousin to host grandfather’s condition as well. 

In the meantime, however, without the cousin close to hand, he must grow his family.

She’s seen those brought to grandfather before. The bandaged wrists. The dull eyes. The nightmares they have afterwards as whatever it is that makes him …  _ this _ wreaks havoc on their mind.

After all, it’s how her own mother died.

But she is family. She is blood. She rolls up her robe sleeve, and doesn’t let herself flinch. Blood is blood, and blood is power. Cassilda is no fool.

“But grandfather,” she says. “Your mask-”

Grandfather’s laugh is as dry and dusty as a tomb.

_ “What mask, Cassilda?” _

The house elf outside covers its ears in preparation for the scream. It is stifled with surprising swiftness.

 

* * *

 

_ File: Selwyn, Adramalech _

_ Age: Unknown. _

_ Parents: Astyanax Selwyn, Geneviève Malfoi _

_ Known Associates: Selwyn Family _

_ Danger Level: Chime _

_ Adramalech Selwyn was born at some point between ▓▓▓▓ and ▓▓▓▓ at the Selwyn estate. At some point he was infected with [REDACTED] (see file: PROJECT RUTHVEN) as part of his studies into [REDACTED] (see Section Six). Rendered sterile, his family is continued by his younger brother, and managed in part by his spinster sister. Selwyn obtained good grades (see Hogwarts Records ▓▓▓▓-▓▓▓▓) as well as additional tutoring in Occlumency, Legilimency, Wandless Magic, Magical Theory and Ritual Magic. As one of the Families, he has also had access to the [REDACTED] (See Section Six: Introductory Pack). _

_ Do not approach. Leave to Unspeakables of Section Six.  _

 

* * *

 

Blood. To blood. To blood.

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ruthven Project is a reference to [Lord Ruthven, the fictional vampire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Ruthven_\(vampire\)). The term _Lemures sanguine_ is meant to invoke the Lemures of Roman cosmology, spirits of the dead, and, of course, blood. Tepes is a reference to Vlad Tepes, also called Vlad Dracula or Vlad the Impaler, the origin of Dracula. Esterhazy is an actual Hungarian noble family - Hungary being the home of Erszebet Bathory. The weaknesses listed are actual weaknesses attributed to vampires in various pieces of lore.
> 
> [Dholes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhole_\(Cthulhu_Mythos\)) are drawn from the Cthulhu Mythos, horrible giant worm things. They are not the wild dogs, in this context. Forami comes from Foramen/Foramina, a part of human biology - holes in bones to allow nerves and bloodvessels in and out. Rhesangs is me mashing up Rhesus - as in the blood group - with fang.
> 
> "What mask," is a reference to _The King In Yellow_ , which is also where Cassilda's name comes from. The relevant excerpt is as follows:
> 
>  **Camilla:** You, sir, should unmask.  
>  **Stranger:** Indeed?  
>  **Cassilda:** Indeed, it's time. We have all laid aside disguise but you.  
>  **Stranger:** I wear no mask.  
>  **Camilla:** (Terrified, aside to Cassilda.) No mask? No mask!


End file.
